Cichlids in 10 gallon tank possible?
- Thread starter Big Vine
- Start date
All have been good recomendations so far. I'm not to high on keeping kribs in 10 gallons, but it can be done. Actualy I'm not to high on keeping anything mentioned other than some of the shellies in a tank that small, but it's more of a personal thing than hard fact. 
I wouldn't worry about tring to lower your PH. Lowering can be a lot more tricky than raising your pH and hardness, and if you've got pretty hard water then it would be a big pain.
I wouldn't worry about tring to lower your PH. Lowering can be a lot more tricky than raising your pH and hardness, and if you've got pretty hard water then it would be a big pain.
Pair of Kribs in 10 gal.???
I saw some kribs in the LFS today, and I thought they'd look cool in my desert theme tank:
Mushroomman has seen kribs kept in 10 gal. before...did they do okay? Was it a pair, or was one kept singly?
Orion isn't too keen on kribs in a 10 gal., and I agree that it isn't ideal. But he says it's workable...Would it also be 'workable' for a pair, or only if they're kept singly, in your opinion?
I'm tempted to run out and find a small pair somewhere.
The place I went only had 3 males, and the LFS guy said it was best to keep as pairs...is this true?
Either way, I know of another place in town that sells them, but I haven't been there yet. I'll probably check it out this afternoon, and I will be extremely tempted to pick up a pair of kribs!
I'll try to be patient and await responses from the experts here.
By the way, my pH is 7.4
Oh...does anyone else have any thoughts on Fuzz's suggestion about putting a convict in there? I would do that instead of the kribs---IF it is doable, and IF the kribs are a bad idea, in your expert opinions.
Please advise.
I appreciate it!
Big Vine
I saw some kribs in the LFS today, and I thought they'd look cool in my desert theme tank:
Mushroomman has seen kribs kept in 10 gal. before...did they do okay? Was it a pair, or was one kept singly?
Orion isn't too keen on kribs in a 10 gal., and I agree that it isn't ideal. But he says it's workable...Would it also be 'workable' for a pair, or only if they're kept singly, in your opinion?
I'm tempted to run out and find a small pair somewhere.
The place I went only had 3 males, and the LFS guy said it was best to keep as pairs...is this true?
Either way, I know of another place in town that sells them, but I haven't been there yet. I'll probably check it out this afternoon, and I will be extremely tempted to pick up a pair of kribs!
I'll try to be patient and await responses from the experts here.
By the way, my pH is 7.4
Oh...does anyone else have any thoughts on Fuzz's suggestion about putting a convict in there? I would do that instead of the kribs---IF it is doable, and IF the kribs are a bad idea, in your expert opinions.
Please advise.
I appreciate it!
Big Vine
What else is in the tank? I think you can work a pair of kirbs in without any other tankmates.
Like i said in another thread, i've kept/bred convicts in a 10gal no problem. So i don't see why people say it CAN'T be done. I've done it. And also, like stated before, i had a very mildly agressive pair...hardly any fighting between the two so that helped.
Like i said in another thread, i've kept/bred convicts in a 10gal no problem. So i don't see why people say it CAN'T be done. I've done it. And also, like stated before, i had a very mildly agressive pair...hardly any fighting between the two so that helped.
Thanks Matt!
All I have in there at the moment is a one-inch mystery snail. LOL
The tank would be used solely for the krib pair. I may throw in some platy fry/juveniles on occasion for the kribs to snack on, but that's it.
Question...
Given the current setup, could I just throw a pair in there?
Would I not need to get rocks or more caves or something? The guy at the LFS told me he uses and upside-down half coconut shell to allow them to breed in (I'm assuming the fry get hatched in there?).
And by the way, could you please answer my convict question?
Thanks a bunch!
Big Vine
All I have in there at the moment is a one-inch mystery snail. LOL
The tank would be used solely for the krib pair. I may throw in some platy fry/juveniles on occasion for the kribs to snack on, but that's it.
Question...
Given the current setup, could I just throw a pair in there?
Would I not need to get rocks or more caves or something? The guy at the LFS told me he uses and upside-down half coconut shell to allow them to breed in (I'm assuming the fry get hatched in there?).
And by the way, could you please answer my convict question?
Thanks a bunch!
Big Vine
Yes, personally i'd put a cave in there or something they can really hide in. Flower pots, coconut shells...something along those lines. They will breed and hatch their fry in there (assuming they don't move the eggs to a better location). And yes, IMO, you can put a pair in there.
As for the convicts, a lot of people say no...i say yes. I like to push stocking limits. I've done a 10gal with 2 cons before. (Refer to post #15 of this thread). It really can depend on the temperment of your pair/fish themselves. Some just can't be kept in tanks that small because of their attitudes, some can. So generally speaking, yes it can be done...but then you must figure out their personalities to see if they too would fit with a smaller tank.
As for the convicts, a lot of people say no...i say yes. I like to push stocking limits. I've done a 10gal with 2 cons before. (Refer to post #15 of this thread). It really can depend on the temperment of your pair/fish themselves. Some just can't be kept in tanks that small because of their attitudes, some can. So generally speaking, yes it can be done...but then you must figure out their personalities to see if they too would fit with a smaller tank.
Yes...that's right, Matt...post # 15...
I saw what you wrote, but I guess I didn't pay close enough attention to the "convict" part. I thought you were still referring to kribs.
This has me a lot more comfortable about the whole idea now that you've chimed in. After all, you've kept a cichlid or two in your day, right?
Hmm...
Now I don't necessarily want to breed them, although it would be kinda cool.
We'll just have to see what happens...
I've got a ton of questions on breeding that I'll save for later---I've obviously got lots more research to do as far as that goes, but it seems as though I'm ready to pick out a couple kribs today.
I'll see if I can pick up a smallish pair!
Thanks again,
Big Vine
I saw what you wrote, but I guess I didn't pay close enough attention to the "convict" part. I thought you were still referring to kribs.
This has me a lot more comfortable about the whole idea now that you've chimed in. After all, you've kept a cichlid or two in your day, right?
Hmm...
Now I don't necessarily want to breed them, although it would be kinda cool.
We'll just have to see what happens...
I've got a ton of questions on breeding that I'll save for later---I've obviously got lots more research to do as far as that goes, but it seems as though I'm ready to pick out a couple kribs today.
I'll see if I can pick up a smallish pair!
Thanks again,
Big Vine
One more thing...
The LFS guy told me that kribs are pretty hardy.
He says you could probably do fine cycling a tank with them (he's apparently kept some for 6 years).
Anyway, my tank is cycled, but given my recent inexplicable honey sunset gourami losses (they were new fish...yet the fancy guppy I put in there survived just fine), I don't wanna take any chances.
Are kribs fairly hardy, in your opinion?
Thanks,
Big Vine
The LFS guy told me that kribs are pretty hardy.
He says you could probably do fine cycling a tank with them (he's apparently kept some for 6 years).
Anyway, my tank is cycled, but given my recent inexplicable honey sunset gourami losses (they were new fish...yet the fancy guppy I put in there survived just fine), I don't wanna take any chances.
Are kribs fairly hardy, in your opinion?
Thanks,
Big Vine
The entire subject on aggressive fish and differing personalities shouldn't be lost all on convicts. Kribs can be quite different as well. I had an adult breeding pair in a 20 High for 8+ months with lots of other fish, and for many spawns I didn't have any problems. Then one day recently after a spawn the female apparently decided that she'd had enough of whatever and killed the male, and many other fish in a matter of hours. So just be prepared if you get a 'psyco' , and don't let it put you off to keeping kribs. It happens sometimes.
And I would have to say that most of the kribs have been very hardy. So if you get some from a good strong line, then you shouldn't have many if any health problems.
And I would have to say that most of the kribs have been very hardy. So if you get some from a good strong line, then you shouldn't have many if any health problems.